Early planting benefits Southeast Missouri rice

Rice farmers in the Missouri Bootheel planted a surprising number of acres in 2010, 244,000 certified acres to be exact. Donn Beighley, who handles the rice specialist duties for the region, says the 24 percent increase was unexpected. Rice yields and milling quality were also better than expected when producers were able to plant in early April, which is becoming the preferred time for seeding the Bootheel rice crop. Beighley was interviewed following his presentation at the USA Rice Outlook Conference in Biloxi, Miss.